Comparison of the electrophysiological properties of the pulmonary veins between paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation.

Background: The role of the pulmonary veins (PVs) as triggers in atrial fibrillation (AF) is well-known; however, their detailed electrophysiological properties have not been thoroughly examined. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the electrophysiological properties of the PVs between paroxysmal AF (pAF) and persistent AF (perAF). Methods: Prior to catheter ablation in patients with pAF (n = 51) and perAF (n = 41), a voltage map of the left atrium and PVs was created under sinus rhythm, and the area of the myocardial sleeves in the PVs and their electrophysiological characteristics, including the pacing threshold and effective refractory period (ERP), were compared between the two groups. Results: Compared with perAF, the myocardial sleeves of PVs for pAF were significantly larger for all PVs. The ERP for perAF was significantly shorter than that for pAF for all PVs. The pacing threshold for perAF was significantly higher than that for pAF for the right and left superior PVs. Conclusion: In patients with perAF, a decrease in the normal myocardial sleeves and a shortening of the ERP were observed for all PVs. Those changes in the electrophysiological properties of the PVs might be related to the persistence of AF.

Oral Iron Absorption of Ferric Citrate Hydrate and Hepcidin-25 in Hemodialysis Patients: A Prospective, Multicenter, Observational Riona-Oral Iron Absorption Trial.

Oral ferric citrate hydrate (FCH) is effective for iron deficiencies in hemodialysis patients; however, how iron balance in the body affects iron absorption in the intestinal tract remains unclear. This prospective observational study (Riona-Oral Iron Absorption Trial, R-OIAT, UMIN 000031406) was conducted at 42 hemodialysis centers in Japan, wherein 268 hemodialysis patients without inflammation were enrolled and treated with a fixed amount of FCH for 6 months. We assessed the predictive value of hepcidin-25 for iron absorption and iron shift between ferritin (FTN) and red blood cells (RBCs) following FCH therapy. Serum iron changes at 2 h (ΔFe2h) after FCH ingestion were evaluated as iron absorption. The primary outcome was the quantitative delineation of iron variables with respect to ΔFe2h, and the secondary outcome was the description of the predictors of the body's iron balance. Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to identify the determinants of iron absorption during each phase of FCH treatment. ΔFe2h increased when hepcidin-25 and TSAT decreased (-0.459, -0.643 to -0.276, p = 0.000; -0.648, -1.099 to -0.197, p = 0.005, respectively) in GEEs. FTN increased when RBCs decreased (-1.392, -1.749 to -1.035, p = 0.000) and hepcidin-25 increased (0.297, 0.239 to 0.355, p = 0.000). Limiting erythropoiesis to maintain hemoglobin levels induces RBC reduction in hemodialysis patients, resulting in increased hepcidin-25 and FTN levels. Hepcidin-25 production may prompt an iron shift from RBC iron to FTN iron, inhibiting iron absorption even with continued FCH intake.

A multi-institutional, observational study of outcomes after catheter placement for peritoneal dialysis in Japan.

BACKGROUND: This multi-institutional, observational study examined whether the outcomes after peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter placement in Japan meet the audit criteria of the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD) guideline and identified factors affecting technique survival and perioperative complications. METHODS: Adult patients who underwent first PD catheter placement for end-stage kidney disease between April 2019 and March 2021 were followed until PD withdrawal, kidney transplantation, transfer to other facilities, death, 1 year after PD start or March 2022, whichever came first. Primary outcomes were time to catheter patency failure and technique failure, and perioperative infectious complications within 30 days of catheter placement. Secondary outcomes were perioperative complications. Appropriate statistical analyses were performed to identify factors associated with the outcomes of interest. RESULTS: Of the total 409 patients, 8 who underwent the embedded catheter technique did not have externalised catheters. Of the 401 remaining patients, catheter patency failure occurred in 25 (6.2%). Technical failure at 12 months after PD catheter placement calculated from cumulative incidence function was 15.3%. On Cox proportional hazards model analysis, serum albumin (hazard ratio (HR) 0.44; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.27-0.70) and straight type catheter (HR 2.14; 95% CI 1.24-3.69) were the independent risk factors for technique failure. On logistic regression analysis, diabetes mellitus was the only independent risk factor for perioperative infectious complications (odds ratio 2.70, 95% CI 1.30-5.58). The occurrence rate of perioperative complications generally met the audit criteria of the ISPD guidelines. CONCLUSION: PD catheter placement in Japan was proven to be safe and appropriate.

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis with a mutation in the mitochondrially encoded NADH dehydrogenase 5 gene: A case report.

NADH dehydrogenase 5 (ND5) is one of 44 subunits composed of Complex I in mitochondrial respiratory chain. Therefore, a mitochondrially encoded ND5 (MT-ND5) gene mutation causes mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) disorder, resulting in the development of mitochondrial diseases. Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) which had podocytes filled with abnormal mitochondria is induced by mitochondrial diseases. An MT-ND5 mutation also causes FSGS. We herein report a Japanese woman who was found to have proteinuria and renal dysfunction in an annual health check-up at 29 years old. Because her proteinuria and renal dysfunction were persistent, she had a kidney biopsy at 33 years of age. The renal histology showed FSGS with podocytes filled with abnormal mitochondria. The podocytes also had foot process effacement and cytoplasmic vacuolization. In addition, the renal pathological findings showed granular swollen epithelial cells (GSECs) in tubular cells, age-inappropriately disarranged and irregularly sized vascular smooth muscle cells (AiDIVs), and red-coloured podocytes (ReCPos) by acidic dye. A genetic analysis using peripheral mononuclear blood cells and urine sediment cells detected the m.13513 G > A variant in the MT-ND5 gene. Therefore, this patient was diagnosed with FSGS due to an MT-ND5 gene mutation. Although this is not the first case report to show that an MT-ND5 gene mutation causes FSGS, this is the first to demonstrate podocyte injuries accompanied with accumulation of abnormal mitochondria in the cytoplasm.

D-Dimer beyond Diagnosis of Pulmonary Embolism: Its Implication for Long-Term Prognosis in Cardio-Oncology Era.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common comorbidity of cancer, often referred to as cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT). Even though its prevalence has been increasing, its clinical picture has not been thoroughly investigated. In this single-center retrospective observational study, 259 patients who were treated for pulmonary embolism (PE) between January 2015 and December 2020 were available for analysis. The patients were divided by the presence or absence of concomitant malignancy, and those with malignancy (N = 120, 46%) were further classified into active (N = 40, 15%) and inactive groups according to the treatment status of malignancy. In patients with malignancy, PE was more often diagnosed incidentally by computed tomography or D-dimer testing, and the proportion of massive PE was lower. Although D-dimer levels overall decreased after the initiation of anticoagulation therapy, concomitant malignancy was independently associated with higher D-dimer at discharge despite the lower severity of PE at onset. The patients with malignancy had a poor prognosis during post-discharge follow-up. Active malignancy was independently associated with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and major bleeding. D-dimer at discharge was an independent predictor of mortality even after adjustment for malignancy. This study's findings suggest that CAT-PE patients might have hypercoagulable states, which can potentially lead to a poorer prognosis.

A case report of granulomatous polyangiitis complicated by tuberculous lymphadenitis.

RATIONAL: Granulomatous polyangiitis (GPA) is a type of vasculitis involving medium and small arteries, typically affecting the upper and lower respiratory tract with coexisting glomerulonephritis. GPA is also characterized by necrotizing granulomatous inflammation and the presence of antineutrophil cytoplasm antibodies (ANCA). So far, various infections have lead to elevation of titers of serum ANCA, making it difficult to diagnose. PATIENT CONCERNS: We report a 50-year-old woman who was diagnosed as tuberculous lymphadenitis. During the treatment by anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs, rapidly progressive renal failure and pleurisy had appeared with elevated titer of PR3-ANCA. Renal biopsy revealed crescentic glomerulonephritis. DIAGNOSIS: Renal biopsy revealed crescentic glomerulonephritis and diagnosis of GPA was made. INTERVENTIONS: Steroid therapy had been started with continuation of anti-TB drugs. OUTCOMES: Renal dysfunction had gradually recovered and pleurisy had disappeared with decreasing titer of PR3-ANCA. LESSONS: This is the first report of GPA complicated by TB infection. When we encounter a case with rapidly progressive renal failure during the TB infection, complication of GPA should be suspected as 1 of the different diagnosis.